


[Oldfic] Of Nightmares and Comforts

by TheFanficMaster



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-16
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-15 06:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8046346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFanficMaster/pseuds/TheFanficMaster
Summary: [Oldfic] Break has a nightmare and remembers old promises he failed to keep.





	[Oldfic] Of Nightmares and Comforts

_The stench of blood reeks all around him, causing Kevin to double over, gagging on the fumes and metallic smell. It seems that no matter how far he runs or in which direction, he cannot escape the blood, nor can he escape the horrid sight of his master's body lying motionless in a puddle of crimson life._

_Each times he sees it, he resists the urge to purge. It's disgusting really; the blood is now drenching the bottom of his pants and dripping down his cheeks, having splashed up on him as he ran through the blood puddles._

" _Kevin!"_

_Her voice…Emily!_

_Kevin searches all around, not surprised that he cannot find the little girl that he adores so much…or rather_ _adored,_ _because she is dead now like the rest of her family…all because of_ _him…_

_He hears her voice calling out for him once more, but this time he pauses. Her voice sounds different than before, desperate, pleading, with a hint of anger and betrayal. Emily is upset with him, but why? He's searching! He's trying! He's—!_

_And then he sees her. She's sitting on the ground, untouched by the blood that lingers around her even as she kneels in it with her bright yellow dress. She's crying into her hands, the salty tears leaving sparkling trails down her dirty cheeks._

" _Emily-sama!" He calls, running as fast as he can toward her. Yet, no matter how much he runs, he only seems to be running in place._

_Then, she turns to face him and he halts, fear flowing through him. She's glaring; her eyes still leaking tears and her cheeks puffed up from crying._

" _Kevin, why did you leave me?" She shouts, coughing as sobs racked her form, making it impossible to breathe and speak coherently. "Why—?"_

_He is about to explain it to her, apologize, beg for her to let him kneel at her feet and accept the punishment she owes him for all that it's worth, but instead…is met with the sight he never wants to see again, ever._

_The sword seems to maneuver right through her chest, puncturing the little girl in her most vulnerable place. Her eyes and mouth are wide with shock, even as blood runs down her chest and legs._

" _Emily-sama!" He shouts, rushing forward again, hoping to catch her before she hits the ground. But he cannot reach her and her lifeless body falls to the ground, splashing in the blood as if she was merely a limp doll._

_Kevin screams in horror._

* * *

He jolts awake with a start, his hands automatically reaching to clutch at his chest, which is aching with a familiar pain: the hollow ache that assaults him whenever he thinks about his master's death. Only, it's more profound this time, as he cannot distract himself from the images replaying in his head…some so graphic that he can still smell the blood.

Once his breathing calms, Kevin realizes that it's still dark out, so it must be in the middle of the night. Sighing, Kevin reaches up to smooth his hair back from his face, which is damp with perspiration. Damn, how could he be shaken up by a mere nightmare? He's a man that's been through hell and back, figuratively and literally speaking. So why was he shaking? And why is his heart throbbing so much?

He's about to give into sleep again when he notices warmth against his right arm, one that he managed to ignore before. He turns, only to start in surprise when he notices the little Rainsworth daughter sleeping against his side, her face buried against his chest. How he hasn't noticed her before, Kevin doesn't know, but the sight is rather shocking.

"Ojou-sama…?" He calls after a moment, lightly shaking her. She makes a startled sound; having jolted from sleep so abruptly, and slowly opens her eyes. "X-Xerxes…nii?"

Kevin smiles a little at the nickname that she's given him. Ever since Kevin received his new name, Xerxes Break, this little girl had taken to calling him that. He doesn't want to admit it, but it feels nice to hear her voice after such a chaotic nightmare.

"Ojou-sama, why are you sleeping in my bed? If Shelly-sama finds out that you're here, you could get me in trouble."

"Mm, I don't care!" She mumbles and buries her face in his chest. "I'm scared…"

"Scared…? Of what?" He inquires as he sits up, forcing her to do the same. She blushes and shamefully looks away, twirling her hair around her fingers with nervousness.

"I-I had a bad nightmare, Xerxes-nii…I was so scared…"

Despite himself, he smiled in amusement. A small, hesitant smile, but it was a real smile nonetheless.

"Ojou-sama, you do know that nightmares cannot harm you, right?" He sighs as she starts shaking her head in protest.

"N-No! This one was—!"

She starts shaking, tears rolling down her face. "Xerxes-nii!"

Sighing again, he gently takes her into his arms and smoothes her hair back as she sobs into his chest, thoroughly soaking his favorite nightshirt. With a small pang, Kevin remembers his nightmare, and a similar memory from what seems like so long ago.

" _K-Kevin…I had a nightmare…where mommy and daddy disappeared…"_

"What…was your nightmare about?" He finally asks after a moment, trying to keep his hands from shaking with shame as he recalls his uselessness when it came to dealing with poor Emily, who he'd abandoned and eventually, had been the cause of her death.

"M-Mommy died…and Xerxes-nii did too…" She coughed a few times and Kevin reluctantly patted her back to help steady her breathing. "I…Grandmother and I were left all by ourselves…but then she died too!"

Wow, that did sound like a terrible nightmare for a poor eight year old. Hopefully it wasn't as graphic as his was.

"But we're all fine, see?" Kevin gestures to himself, pulling her away from his chest to look him in the eye. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Would you like me to escort you back to bed, Ojou-sama?"

"No! I want to sleep with you!" She's against his chest again, holding on as if he's the last lifeline she has. Kevin sighs, giving in to his fate.

"All right, then." He tries not to think of the punishment he's sure to receive if they're discovered like this and instead lies back down on his side, closing his eyes as Sharon snuggles up to him. After a moment, he wraps his arms protectively around her.

"Will you always protect me, Xerxes-nii?" She suddenly asks, staring up at him with tiny frightened eyes. "You won't leave me, right?"

Frozen with shock, Kevin is unable to form an answer. How could he promise that to her…when he's broken such a similar promise in the past?

"X-Xerxes-nii?" She asks, her voice sounding a bit panicked now. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Ojou-sama, just go to sleep," He tries to calm his breathing, unintentionally tightening his hold around her. Even as he holds her, he knows he  _should be_  holding someone else…and that hurts more than anything.

Somehow, she falls asleep. He's still awake, staring at the top of her head. He's so tired, but he doesn't want to sleep yet. He feels strangely paranoid, almost as if he's going to lose her if he so much as closes his eyes.

Finally, he scoffs and relaxes into the blankets. Since when has he been so sentimental, anyway?

Although, he knows she's hurt that he stayed silent. But he's glad he did because somehow, someway, he knows he would've ended up breaking that promise.

And he wasn't going to make it again…ever.


End file.
